


Make Me Tell You I'm In Love With You

by diadema



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: F/M, Flash Fiction, Fluff, Inspired by Music, One Shot, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 21:14:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15782253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diadema/pseuds/diadema
Summary: A late night stroll, a Mel Carter song, and the subtle magic of all the stars aligning. <3





	Make Me Tell You I'm In Love With You

**Author's Note:**

> Today marks exactly *one year* since I created my account and published the very first chapter of my very first fic. There just aren't words to express how much it means to me to be a part of this wonderful community. And so, in honor of my "AO3-iversary", I am dedicating this fic to YOU, my fandom family. To all the readers and all the writers, to every guest and user who has read and engaged with my work (however that may look like), thank you for joining me around my campfire and sharing in my stories. Thank you for all of your love and support, and thank you for believing in me. This one's for you!
> 
> It would also be remiss of me not to thank SydneyMo and her fellow co-conspirators (Festiveviolet31, Somedeepmystery, Turningleaf, Amyhat, MilkshakeKate, edenforest, canardroublard, blueincandescence, MollokoPlus, and roadhymns) for their incomparable anniversary surprise and to everyone else who reached out with their well-wishes. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!
> 
> This drabble is PURE FLUFF inspired by Mel Carter's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". 365 words for 365 days of fandom. But wait! There's MORE! I'm also including a tiny sneak peek of "Roma Caput Mundi" - the working title of my All Roads Lead to Rome sequel. Can't believe it's been a year since I started that series... it seems fitting on this anniversary to share an update. :)
> 
> Special thanks to SydneyMo for reading this over for me, and to Somedeepmystery who has been subjected to MONTHS of hearing about my magical "patronus song" that kept my dementors at bay (the patronus being the Gallya vignette it conjured in my head) and who for MONTHS has been gently nudging me to actually write it - and not just as rambling, middle of the night emails either. Of which there were many.
> 
> Thank you all for stopping by, please enjoy, and COME CELEBRATE WITH ME!!! Please feel free to drop by the comments. Don't be shy! I'd so love to hear from all of you!!! <3

The cobblestone glistens with reflected starlight, hazy in the glow of street lamps. Gaby leans into Illya’s side as they walk, perhaps more familiarly than she should. Tonight, there is no mission. No cover. No one to be except for themselves, and  _ still, _ her hands are wrapped around his arm, eyes bright and voice warm as they murmur to one another in low tones.

Illya has deliberately shortened his stride, partly to accommodate her, and partly to stretch these stolen moments just a little bit longer. It is a measured cadence, languid with the weight and heat of a summer evening.

Gaby smiles softly up at him—unmotivated,  _ undeserved _ even—and Illya wonders just how he could have merited such a blessing. His free hand moves on instinct to cover hers. “You are well?”

“Never better.”

Illya clears his throat, nods. A sudden shyness overtakes him. They are almost at her flat now, and Illya can feel stopped time beginning to tick again. Feels, too, the way their steps are slowing and slowing to a stop.

_ An ultimatum. _

_ A crossroads. _

He knows he should at least offer to walk her to the door. But he doesn’t. Or, rather, he  _ can’t. _ Not when Gaby is staring at him so intently, so  _ earnestly _ in the moonlight.

The mechanic disentangles herself from his arm, and he is about to protest, to  _ insist _ when her hands start curling—inexplicably—around his lapels, tugging him down, down, down. She rises on tiptoe, Illya meeting her halfway. He palms her waist, cups her head as their lips begin to move in counterpoint.

_ “I love you,”  _ he breathes when they finally part for air. Mindless, perhaps, but infinitely sure. He startles to his senses, seized by sudden panic. But Gaby only smiles, dimpled, and invites him up for a drink.

He has to run to catch up with her.

 

* * *

 

The record ends. Their dancing doesn’t. They sway and shuffle to the ghost of a melody, one that Illya can’t keep himself from humming.

“I love you too,” she whispers, laying her head on his chest.

He kisses the crown of her hair, pulls her closer, and softly, he begins singing.  _ “Never, never, never let me go…” _

**Author's Note:**

> [I don't know why it says it's more than 365 words? I checked it on google docs and on an online word counter, but Microsoft Word has it as 369 as well? I don't understand, but you get the gist!]
> 
> As promised, the bite-sized (approximately 200 word) preview/excerpt of "Roma". It is still very much subject to change, but you could reasonably expect to see something along these lines...
> 
> "He is distinctly ill at ease in this setting. It is too loud, too crowded, and he doesn’t have clear sightlines to the exits. The conversations around him are a roaring in his ears, and even in this sea of humanity, Illya can’t help but feel exposed.
> 
> Gaby, however, seems to come alive in the chaos, in a way that he hasn’t seen before. It is dazzling to witness. The mechanic sips her champagne and laughs with abandon, soaking in the atmosphere with bright eyes and a soft smile.
> 
> She seems perfectly suited to the West, and Illya is glad that he is the one who gets to share this with her. It is almost too easy to believe that he had secured a visa for her and that he’d brought her here to see the sights and enjoy the culture.
> 
> She belongs here, he muses—a dangerous thought, if he’d been paying attention. But all he can focus on is the way she leans in to chatter animatedly at him and how she has never once felt the need to look over her shoulder.
> 
> And, despite his training, despite every instinct telling him to keep his guard up, Illya finds himself relaxing too."
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks again, dear friends! Hope you enjoyed! :D


End file.
